John Noble, Noblex inventor, dead

Quite a guy. An American, held by the Russians for 9.5 years during the Cold War, released in 1955 after he got a message smuggled out to his family proving he was alive. Regained part of his family's Praktica business after the Berlin Wall came down and created the Noblex swing lens camera. Obviously swing-lens cameras had been around for a century, but I think most will agree, the Noblex is a step above most of the other swing lens cameras. Not a 360 degree swing noted in the article, but not too shabby either.

Mr. Noble wrote a book about his story. German public radio had a piece on him a few months ago. Another weird aspect that he is said to be made a persona non grata in the GDR.

But this is not even the end of the story: in the monography of the history of the Dresden photomechanical industry, being one of the players, a chapter is devoted to him and his father. After the restituation in the 90ties Noble is said to have made himself unbearable by his employees by his attitude he uttered and thus to solve the conflict had to leave his company.